{"id":14650,"date":"2023-07-17T22:23:34","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T22:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troutandsteelhead.net\/?p=14650"},"modified":"2023-08-13T17:27:44","modified_gmt":"2023-08-13T21:27:44","slug":"salmon-fishing-with-worms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troutandsteelhead.net\/salmon-fishing-with-worms\/","title":{"rendered":"Salmon Fishing With Worms"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Catch
If you fish plastic worms well just about every fish in the river will eat them including big salmon like this one.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Having been a guide for salmon for over two decades and a passionate angler for over 37 years, one of the things I have experimented with is salmon fishing with worms. I’ve tried many of the most popular baits that everyone uses, but catching salmon with worms is something you don’t hear much about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve had outstanding success with specific types of worms for salmon once they enter the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I’ll discuss my honest opinions about using worms as bait for salmon and compare worms to other popular baits. I will also provide some valuable tips to boost your success rate when fishing salmon with worms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Salmon Fishing With Worms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are worms actually good bait for salmon? Will all salmon eat worms? What types and sizes of worms are best? Can worms help you land more salmon? Should worms be your first choice when going salmon fishing? Do professional guides resort to worms for salmon fishing? These are the questions I aim to answer in this article. So, keep reading!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just be sure the fishing regulations in your area permit using worms as bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Worms Really Work as Bait for Salmon Fishing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Out in the ocean, these same salmon are chasing around baitfish daily, but once they enter the river, salmon will feed opportunistically on most baits that catch their attention, and certain worms actually work very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have experimented with various types of worms and rigged them in many ways. I’ve used whole live worms, I’ve cut them into pieces of different dimensions and put them on a hook, and I’ve used an assortment of artificial worms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, I’ve caught salmon using worms as bait for over 30 years but few anglers and guides use worms as bait for salmon fishing. I’ve conducted numerous tests using worms in varying conditions and found them to be effective for both wild and stocked salmon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All salmon, even sockeye salmon, can be caught using worms, but often, it is chinook, coho, chum, Atlantic salmon, and pink salmon that will readily grab a well-presented worm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, before you toss away your other baits and jump onto the worms bandwagon, there are some crucial factors you should consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salmon, intelligent as they are, tend to be opportunistic feeders, often biting at a range of baits, including non-food objects as long as it resembles food. This is why anglers will catch salmon on stuff like marshmallows, Berkely dough bait, and even corn<\/a>. Worms are natural baits so they can be a good option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, when an object drifts close to a salmon in a fast current, the fish may instinctively grab it due to the limited time to inspect the bait, and since a worm has a fairly large profile they get hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In slower or stagnant water bodies, where salmon have ample time to inspect the bait, the effectiveness of worms is a little less effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my view, worms do work, but to what extent? Their effectiveness is arguable, especially when compared to other baits. I will delve into this further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing Worms for Salmon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some anglers use worms as bait when fishing for salmon in rivers or from piers and shorelines, but which worms are the most effective, or does it really matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live Worms For Salmon Fishing<\/h3>\n\n\n